Hat-cleaning apparatus



May 6, 1930.

w. wlLsoN HAT CLEANING APPARATUSV Filed April 13, 1927 A TTORNEY6,

Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES WILLIAM WILSON, OF SELMA, ALABAMA,

ASSIGNOR V'.IJO WILSON HAT STEAMING &

IBLOCKING MACHINE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION F ALABAMA HAT-CLEANINGAPPARATUS v Application mea April 13,

My invention relates to devices for the steaming and blocking the crownsand brims of hats of the kind shown in my former Patents No. 1,441,258of January 9, 1923, and No. 1,540,974 of June 9, 1925, and it hasspecial relation to improvements in the steaming bell construction.

In apparatus of the kind under consideration, great difiiculty has beenexperienced in the past by the condensation of the steam and the leakingof the water of condensation on the hat being treated, and the gatheringof the drip in pools upon the work table upon which the apparatus ismounted.

It is the object of my invention to lprovide a construction in whichthis continual dripping of the apparatus is entirely obviated by thatcertain novel construction and arrange ment of apparatus to behereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a central vert-ical section of the steamingbell for the crowns of the hats.

Figure 2 is a similar section of the apparatus used for hat brims.

I have not thought it necessary to illustrate the work table or themethod of mounting the apparatus for convenient use as this will beobvious from the detailed description.

I-Ieretofore it has been usual to mount the steaming bell for the crownsin upright position, but in order to take care of any possible drip, Ihave reversed thev position of the steaming bell.

As illustrated in the drawings, I provide a solid, imperforate metalshell comprising an outer casing 1 and an inner casing 2, forming aclosed compartment 3. The outer casing is provided with lugs 4, 4 forthe support of the bell in a suitablev cylindrical Yopening in the tabletop, indicated by dotted line.

lNithin the inner casing 2, I secure a perforated shell 5 of the sameshape as the casing, which shell forms a steam compartment 6 throughwhich the steam is delivered through perforations 7 against the hatwhich is mounted on the usual form block indicated by dotted line 8, thehatbeing inserted with the crown downwards, and the brim as indi- Vcatedat 28 extending over the edge of the 1927. serial No. 183,489.

bell'. The perforated shell is provided with an annular flange 9 whichis suitably mounted over the top of the casing, forming the steamcompartment. .The shell can be clamped in position, but is intended tobe removable for cleaning purposes.

The ,steam is introduced'into the compartment 3 in any suitable way, 'asillustrated through a nozzle 10, with openings l1. As a preferableconstruction, this steam nozzle 10 is .threaded through the inner casing2 to dischargeinto the perforated shell compartment 6, and controlled bya valve 12 operated by a hand lever 13, or a suitable foot lever.

At the lower end of the steam chest, I provide a discharge pipe 14 forthe discharge of any water of condensation, and as will be obvious, thesteam may be introduced into the steam compartment through this samepipe 14. Y

The steam compartment is intended to be in continuous open communicationwith the steam supply, and therefore the casing will be continuouslyhot, sufficient to evaporate any condensation which may occur in thedischarge compartment 6.

For steaming and blocking the brims of the hats I provide a similarconstruction to that of the steaming bell as illustrated in Figure 2. Animperforate steam casing is provided of outer and inner casing members15, 16, forming a closed compartment 19, while secured to the innercasing 16 by a iolt 17 is the perforated shell 18, forming a chamber 25.The casing and shell are curved at the outer portion to conform to thenatural curve of the hat brim, and the perforations 19a in theshell 18are only provided for the brim portion of the hat.

rlhe shell 18 has an annular flange 20 by which it is suitably securedto the casing. Steam is introduced through a nozzle 21 into the chambercontrolled by a hand or foot operated valve 26, and the condensed steam,if any, escapes through a pipe 22, through which pipe 22 the steam isfurnished to the imperforate chamber 19.

This apparatus for the brims of hats is to to be mounted on a bracket 24secured to the Atable top a sufficient height above the table, to

permit of the insertion of a hat from underneath. The hat is suppliedWith the usual brim block and band block, and then brought up againstthe perforated shell 18, and steam introduced by opening With hand lever27 the Valve 26.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a hat steaming apparatus, thecombination with a suitable support ofan inverted steaming bell for the reception of a hat With crowndownward, said steaming bell comprising an imperforate bell-like chamberfor the reception of steam from a source of supply, and a metal shellloosely mounted Within said bell-like chamber and forming therewith aninner steaming chamber, with perforations for the metal shell, and meansfor delivering dry steam therein above the bottom thereof and a valvefor controlling the supply oit steam thereto, and a pipe connection atthe bot-tom of said imperforate chamber to carry oit any Water ofcondensation therefrom.

WILLIAM WILSON.

